Illuminated track diagram device



FL 0. MOREHART.

ILLUMINAIED TRACK DIAGRAM DEVIC E.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24.1920.

Patented 'Jan. 3, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FORREST D. MOBEHAR'I, F MILWAUKEE, WISONSIN, 'ASSIGNQR TO ALDON ENGI- NEERING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.-

ILLUmATED TRACK DIAGRAM DEVICE.

r Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 3, 1922.

Application filed July 24, 1920. Serial No. 398,835.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Fonnns'r D. Mona- HART, a citizen of the United'States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Illuminated Track Diagram Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to illuminated diagram devices such as are used in signal -towers in railroad practice to indicate various conditions of the track, switches and signals at a distant place. class are well known and are used to indicate when a train is approaching or has arrived at a given point, when it is upon a given track, when switches are thrown into given ositions, the .character of signals being disp ayed, etc.

The pr ncipal objects of the present improvements are to provide an illuminated track diagram device of simple construc-- venienceof the tower man in observing the indicationslor in replacing lamps from time to time and whereb the signal man may make repairs and ad ustments and modifications of the diagram system in an easy and convenient way; and, in general, to provide a device of the character described which is highly safe and reliable, easily controlled and convenient in service, and not likely to get out of order or suffer mischance as to the character of indications given, particularly through the necessary manipulation of the device by the tower man. Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective of the device complete, largely in front face view; Fig. 2 is a medial Devices of this vertical transversesection'through the device of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of one of the lamp holders with a fragment of the base board and a fragment of the front door contaming the diagram sheet; and Fig. 4 is a view of the lamp and holder shown in Fig. 2 as if viewed toward the right of that gurei The device illustrated includes a rectangular frame of sheet material, such as iron, havin opposite side walls 13. It contains also a rear wall 14, which is in the form of a removable door, being hooked .upon the top wall 10] at 15 and secured at the bottom by a hasp-and-staple device 16 and a lock 17 whereby this door may not be opened except by an authorized person.

a top wall 10, a bottom wall 11, and

There is also a front wall 18 which ineludes two plates of transparent material with a dlagram sheet between them, all held in an open metallic frame 20. The transparentplates 21 and 22 in my practice are of glass. In order to provide for their expansion due to an increase of temperature I provide between the edges of these plates and the frame 20 a stri of compressible material 23, ordinarily 0 wood, and upon the rear glass plate 22 along the edge portions thereof I provide wooden retaining strips 24:. By means of bolts 25 which pass through the frame 20 and the strips 23 and 24 the glass plates are clamped, upon the diagram sheet 27 between them and at the same time all'are held securely in the frame.

The frame 20 is hinged at 28 to the top wall 10. A hasp 29 secured to the bottom wall 11 and the staple 30 secured to the frame 20 hold the front door 18 in normally closed position. The tower man may open this door at any time to replace burned-out lamps, an act he may be called upon to perform from several times to many times a %etween the front wall or door 18 and the 7 34. This intermediate wall 32 divides the -casing into a front compartment 35 and a electric supply houses and used in devices of this class. By making the lamp holders 37 in the special form illustrated much space upon the base board 32 is saved and the lamps, as 40, may be brought relatively close to each other, where that is called for by the nature of the diagram, and a relatively large number of lamps may be installed in a given space with a correspondingly large number of indications in a diagram sheet of given area. These lamp holders 37 are held upon the base 32 by screws 41.

Each lamp holder 37 is bored and threaded at 42 to receive the threaded end 43 of the standard lamp 40, and the holder 37, being metal (suitably of brass) forms one of the electrical connections for the lamp. The other electrical connection for the lamp is made by the bolt-like terminal post 44 securedby the binding nut 45 upon the base board 32, the lamp 40 having the usual terminal at its end adapted to engage a terminal as 44.

Each lamp holder 37 is also provided with an annular outstanding sleeve 46 upon which is frictionally held the movable sleeve 47 which surrounds the lamp 40 at its sides and revents light rays therefrom from spreading except in the forward direction as desired. The sleeve 47 terminates slightly short of the front wall 18 to provide ventilation forthe lamp.

In connection with the glass plates 21 and 22 I have illustrated an improved form of diagram sheet 27 which comprises first a sheet 49 upon which the diagram indications 60, Fig. 1, are shown. This sheet 49 is almost of necessity of translucent material, having consideration for manufacturing costs, and is made of paper, the background being white and the indications being in black or relatively dark markings whereby the indications can be readily perceived. In

' my practice the sheet 49 is usually a negative photostat, showing the background in white and the lines in black or dark brown. I nextprovide an opaque sheet 50, which in my practice is a sheet of black or dark paper adapted to absorb rays of light. The sheet 50 is preferably pasted throughout its surface upon the front sheet 49. I next provide a backing sheet 51 of fabric, such as is used for mounting maps. being secured together form a strong, unitialry, serviceable and light-proof diagram s eet.

The several sheets In order to illuminate the track diagram at given places thereon a plurality of aligning holes 53 are out through the several sheets or laminations of the diagram sheet 27, and the lamps 40 are positioned immediately behind these openings53 respectively. In order that variously colored indications may be had from the lamps a piece of colored paper, celluloid or the like'54 may be secured upon the diagram sheet as shown in Fig. 3. The celluloid 54 should be highly translucent rather than strictly transparent in order that the light at the holes 53 may be diffused and provide a clean-cut area of glow rather than a high and bright light, as from the filament direct.

In my practice, after cutting the holes 53 I mount the casing-like frame upon pipe standards 62 threaded into the base plates 63 respectively, the pipes 62 terminating in elbows 64, there being a hollow nipple 65 rigidly secured to each elbow 64, there being a plate 66 secured on each side wall 13 as by bolts, the plate 66 having a collar into and through which plate and collar the nipple 65 is loosely threaded, the nipple extending into the hollow interior of the casing, the

casing being thus mounted to swing about on these axially aligned hollow trunnions 65. The set screw 67 is adapted to hold the easging in any desired position.

Electric wires from the distant track or signals or from the relays controlled thereby are carried to the interior of the casing through the standards 62 and trunnions 65, and, as will be seen from Fig, 2,.enter the rear compartment '36. All of the wiring for the lamps may be in the rar compartment 36 and since this compartment is kept locked the tower man is not in position to make any changes or alterations in the connections.

It is pointed out that if some of the electrical connections must be loosened, as heretofore, when a burned-out lamp is to be replaced, grave danger at once arises that a connection for one lamp may be secured to a terminal for another'lamp, and thus a false and misleading indication may be imposed upon the operation of the device. According to these improvements the tower man may remove and insert lamps as required, with ease and expedition, and without changing or tampering with the wiring in any way. Should alterations of any other kind be required the signal man (as distinto the rear compartment 36, and being quali fied to make the alterations, attends to the alteration Work.

Another feature of advantage is in the fact that the wiring in the device is away from the heated chamber 35, and the insulation of the conductors is therefore maintained against deterioration by heat. Owing to the considerable number of lamps which may be in the chamber 35 the temperature there is considerable, but, since the diagram sheet 27 is covered by a plate of glass it is not affected by this heat.

A. too-great temperature is avoided by a slot-like opening 66 at the top and a similar opening at the bottom, where the relatively narrow spacer 67 indicates the width of the air space there. The base board 32 is preferably not only a dielectric but is heat-proof as well.

The front glass plate 21 protects the diagram sheet from the smoke and dirtso prevalent at railway towers and maintains the eflicient cleanliness of the sheet indefinitely. The rear plate 22 protects the sheet from the heat of the lamps, and the two plates provided means for maintaining the sheet efi'iciently smooth and flat.

By the use of a flat sheet-like colored element such as the celluloid member 54 I am able to avoid the more expensive and otherwise objectionable use of small colored bulls-eye glass lenses inserted in the light openings in the diagram sheet. Instead of a translucent colored sheet 54 I may make this element transparent (transparent material-being more easily obtainable) and provide a translucent rear glass plate, as by rough-surfacing the same by grinding or sand-blasting operations.

A highly important advantage of the present construction is that the diagram design may be readily removed for such alterations therein as are made necessary by the changes in or additions to the tracks, switches or signals from time to time and the necessary changes or additions may also readily be made in the lighting system of the device thus avoiding the keeping of the device out of service for any considerable length of time.

While I have herein shown a highly advantageous form of device embodying these improvements the invention is not limited to what is specifically illustrated and described and reference should be had to the appended claims to determine the scope of 'the improvements herein set forth.

I claim: 1. In a track diagram device, the combination of a frame, a plurality of electric lamps and a diagram sheet mounted in the frame with the sheet operatively in front of the lamps, supports including pivotal connections coaxia-lly arranged for holding the frame in operative position, and means for holding the frame in various relative positions with respect to the supports.

2. In a track diagram device, the combination of a housing-like :frame, a plurality of electric lamps mounted within the frame, a diagram sheet mounted operatively in front of the lamps, means for supporting the frame including hollow trunnions adapted to receive lead wires opening to the hollow interior of the frame and coaxially ar ranged whereby the frame may be moved pivotally on the supports, and means for holding the frame in various relative positions with respect to the supports.

3. In a track diagram device, the combination of a casing, means therein for holding a plurality of lamps intermediate the front and rear walls of the casing, said means dividing the casing effectively into a front and rear compartment, the casing having two doorways and two movable doors for gaining entrance to the compartments respectively, means on the lamp holding the easing into a front and a rear compartment, a movably mounteddoor cover ing substantially the front compartment and lying substantially parallelwith said base, a movably mounted door covering substan-. tially the rear compartment, a plurality of lamp holders mounted on said base in planes substantially parallel with the front door and adapted to receive electric lamps by insertion through the front compartment, means associated with the lamp holders for connecting the same electrically in the rear compartment to a source of current supply, a diagram sheet readily removably mounted on the front door and positioned operatively in front of the lamps, and a tubular device held by each lamp holder for confining the light from a lamp held thereby to a relatively small area of the diagram sheet.

5. In a track diagram device, the combination of walls forming a casing, a unitary interiorly open frame held b the casing, means on the frame for holding transparent plates face to face, two transparent plates within the frame in face to face relation, a diagram sheet operatively between whereby access may be had to the diagram sheet, a plurality of lamps in .said casing,

' and means for limiting the light from each nation of walls forming a casing, an interiorly open frame held at normally the front of the casing, means for holding on the frame transparent plates face to face, two

transparent plates held by the frame in faceto face relation, compressible material between the frame and edge portions of the plates, a diagram sheet operatively between the lates and held thereby, the means for hol mg the plates including means for holding one of them for ready removabillty whereby access may be had to the diagram sheet, lamps within the casing, and means for limiting the light from each lamp to a relatively small area of the diagram sheet. 7. In a track diagram device, the combination of walls forming a casing, a plurality of lamps arranged substantially in a dplane in said casing, a diagram sheet-like held by the casing in front of the lamps, the

diagram device. comprising a sheet on which the diagram indications are marked and an opaque sheet back of the first-mentioned sheet, the two sheets having aligning openings atvarious places respectively where diagram indications are marked, said openings being in front of the lamps respectively,

and means associated. with the lamps respectively for confining the light therefrom to a relatively small area of the diagram sheet at said openings.

8. In a track diagram device, the combination of walls forming a casing, a plurality of lamps arranged substantially in a lane in said casing, a diagram sheet-like' evice "held by the casing in front of the lamps,

the diagram device comprising a sheet on which the diagram indications are marked, an opaque sheet back of the first-mentioned sheet, and a sheet of fabric back of the opaque sheet,.the several sheets having aligning openings at various places respectively where diagram indications are marked,- saidopenings being in front of the lamps respectively, and means associated wlth the lamps respectively for confining the light therefrom to arelatively small area of the diagram sheet at said openin .9. In a track diagram evice, the combination of walls forming a casing, a plurality of lamps arranged substantially ina lane in said casing, a dia am sheet-like evice held by the casing in nt of the lamps, the diagram device comprising a sheet on which the diagram indications are marked, am opaque sheet back of the first-mentioned evice sheet and secured to it, the two sheets having aligning openings at various laces respectively where diagram' in ications are marked, said openings being in front of the lamps respectively, a transparent sheet of colored material covering one of said openings, and means associated with the lamps respectively 'for'confining the light therefrom to a relatively small area of the diagram sheet at said openin s.

10. A diagram sheet evice comprising a plurality of sheets secured together face to face, one thereof having diagram markings, another being opaque and another being of fabric, the sheet having the diagram markings being in front of the other two,-there beingaligmng holes through the several sheets at diagram markings whereby when the sheet is positioned in front of lamps with one of the lamps ateach of said openings light from the lamps will pass through the openings respectively.

11. In combination, a supporting frame,

a mounting for a diagram sheet substantially in a plane carried thereby, a diagram sheet having a plurality of light passagewa s therein, a mounting for a plurality movement with respect to the other mounting to rovide access to the lamps.

12. n a track diagram device, the combination of a supporting frame, a diagram sheet having light openings therethrough carried by the frame, means for holding the sheet in readily movable relation to the frame so as to be readily moved into and out of its operative position, a mounting for lamps-normally back of the diagram sheet for holding lamps in line with the light openings res ectively of the sheet, and a lamp on said. mounting for each of said lighto enings.

13. n a trackdiagram device, the combination of a su porting frame, a diagram sheet having llght openings therethrough carried by the frame, means for holding the sheet in readily movable relation to the frame so as to be readil moved into. and out of'its operative position, a mounting for lamps normally back of the diagram sheet for holding lamps in line with the light openings respectively of the sheet, a lamp sheet.

FORREST D. MOREHART. 

